MONTGOMERY - Donnie Veal shut down the Montgomery Biscuits (32-26; 66-62) over seven strong innings Thursday night to clinch game four and the series for the Tennessee Smokies (30-29; 57-72), 2-1.

Biscuits starter James Houser was stellar, allowing no hits and one walk, while striking out three in four innings of work. Houser, on a strict pitch count since returning from the disabled list, handed the ball to Jino Gonzalez in the fifth frame.

A leadoff double from Josh Lansford payed dividends for the Smokies after Jake Fox grounded out to drive in Lansford for the first run of the game in the sixth inning.

After a perfect seventh inning from Montgomery reliever Steve Andrade, two errors in the following frame gave the Smokies the 2-1lead. With men on first and third, Nate Spears slapped a ground ball through the legs of Rhyne Hughes, scoring Sam Fuld and plating the first run against Andrade since May.

Veal dominated the Biscuits offense for seven innings, striking out eight while giving up just four hits. No Biscuit passed first base against him, until Erold Andrus launched a solo home run with two out in the seventh. Andrus' blast would be Montgomery's only tally of the game, as they failed to plate the tying run from first in the bottom of the ninth, giving Smokies reliever Casey Lambert his first save.

The series wraps up Friday at Riverwalk Stadium in a matchup of soft tossers. Mike Prochaska takes on Mark Holliman at 7:05.

Courtesy: Biscuits Media Relations